Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Ryan Fishback has been named the 2024 Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award winner, as announced by the ITA on Thursday morning.
As the ITA's longest-running award, the Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award honors the life and legacy of the person many would call the greatest collegiate tennis player of all time. This award, which honors one Division I men's student-athlete each year, honors the player who demonstrates many of the key tenets of Osuna's game including, but not limited to, sportsmanship, character, academic achievements and outstanding tennis accomplishments.
Fishback, a Geneva, N.Y. native, wrapped up his illustrious career with the Hokies in the spring. His senior campaign concluded with third-team All-ACC acknowledgement, posting an 8-12 record on Court 1 and sitting in the ITA singles rankings for the entirety of the year. The honor was his third all-conference nod in three seasons.
Having graduated in May with a degree in Biochemistry, Fishback intends to test his luck on the professional circuit before attending medical school.
Last year, Fishback received the Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award, along with his second Elite 90 recognition (given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships.). He also received the 2023 Skelton Award, the highest honor a Virginia Tech student-athlete can achieve.